Your prayers for your children can play a tremendous role in their faith journey. Dr. James Banks explains the generational impact prayer can make, and the importance of being consistent. His book is , and there you can find out what makes a heartfelt prayer and hear biblical encouragement on praying for children of any age.
Prayer is vital because it opens our children’s lives – and ours as well – to an entire new level of love that only God can give. We explore how this truth was illustrated in biblical stories like that of Hannah’s prayer for her son Samuel.
Dr. James believes it’s important for our kids to see us praying – for them to find us on our knees in prayer. Yet it’s also key to not use prayer as a tool to preach at them.
In the midst of the needs and desires we present to God in our prayers, let’s also remember to pray praises to Him! What are we thankful for?
Dr. Banks believes that the most important thing we can remember is to keep loving our kids, no matter what. Keep loving them even in the heart attitude of our prayers. Don’t pray out of anger, but pray out of love. If you’re struggling with this, then remember you can ask God how you should pray. It’s alright to pray for our children to be convicted internally, and perhaps even – as in the case of a listening friend’s question – to pray that they’re caught if they’re actions are harming themselves and those around them.
Sometimes our prayer requests can be a long journey communicating with God. At other times, His answer can come quickly and extremely specifically. Whatever the result, God is faithful.
